What does morae mean?
Morae are the plural form of mora, units of syllabic timing used in phonology, poetry, and metrical analysis. A mora is not itself a complete syllable or necessarily a vowel sound; rather, it represents a short span of duration within a syllable. A light syllable generally contains one mora, while a heavy syllable may contain two. For example, a syllable made from a long vowel or a vowel followed by a consonant can be treated as bimoraic. The distinction matters when comparing English rhythm with systems in which syllable length and weight are especially prominent. Morae are also useful in describing the movement of rhythm in poetry and speech. In ordinary conversation, however, the word is uncommon and will usually be encountered in a linguistic, literary, or academic context.
nounA mora is a unit of syllable timing in phonology and poetry. A syllable may contain one or two moras, depending on its length and stress.
- A unit of syllable duration in phonology and versification, equivalent to the time occupied by a short vowel or consonant.
"The word "strength" has a stressed syllable that can be analyzed as containing two moras."
"The final syllable of "father" is heavy, consisting of a vowel and a consonant with two morae."
"Many traditional English lines contain a mixture of light and heavy syllables, each syllable corresponding to one or two moras."
The standard plural is morae, pronounced with a final /i/. The form moras is also used.
"Each long syllable contains two morae."
A mora is less like a sound than a tiny slice of time: one syllable may carry one mora or stretch to hold two.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does morae come from?
The word comes from Latin mora, meaning "delay" or "pause," reflecting the idea of a measured span of time. English borrowed the term for metrical and phonological analysis, where it denotes a unit of syllable duration. Related Latin derivatives include moratory and moratorium, both associated with delay or postponement.
How morae is actually used
The term is chiefly used in phonology, poetry, and linguistics. In careful metrical analysis, a mora represents a unit of duration rather than simply a vowel or syllable.
Easily confused with morae
A mora is a unit of syllabic timing, whereas morale means the confidence and enthusiasm felt by a group or individual.